Flock is a minimalist ottoman created by New Zealand-based designer Jono Coates. A leading New Zealand textile company and a Wellington product designer have come together in an exploration of the way luxury can facilitate everyday function. The collaboration reveals what a mutually respectful relationship between product and textile can look like and, more importantly, feel like. The result is the Flock. Form invites feeling, and feeling follows function. The Flock’s premium alpaca velvet upholstery fabric demands that you explore it with touch first. Its thick coat has a natural grain and direction, and cries out for a pat.

Beneath the ottoman’s coat is a layer of high-density foam that encases a plywood heart. Piping leads your eye around the radius of the Flock’s curves. This traditional detail invites the Flock to fall in line with other furnishings. The Flock’s strong rectangular form and assertive radius stand proudly against the tradition and flourish of your favorite old wingback chair. Give a whistle for your humble Flock when you need to put your feet up. The Flock’s exotic texture contrasts with its pared-down form, and its modest scale provides just the right height wherever you need a hitching post. The Flock is a side table, a foot stool, a bench seat, a clothes rack or a child’s favorite saddle.

Careful consideration was given to the selection of the Flock’s color and, specifically, how three colors could form a complete first collection. A family of three Flocks is ideal, but an individual Flock is just as perfect, to bring a smaller space to life. Pinot noir: full bodied and proud. Burnt orange: warm and commanding. Blush: subtle and approachable. Mustered together, the set of three is a coherent family, more than the sum of its parts. The Flock is pitched at the residential market as a flexible and tactile object, a colorful and lively addition to the family.

Photography by Profile Photos